Report Card: Houston Texans Defense Grades Are in

Yesterday, I examined the Texans' offense and handed out some grades.  As expected, the team's high powered offense received passing grades.  Yet, room for improvement remained.

Today, I'll critique the defense at the quarter pole of the season.  Coming into the 2009 season, expectations surrounding the team were high.  With even an average defense, the Texans' explosive offense could carry the team into the playoffs for the first time. 

Richard Smith was fired as defensive coordinator and Frank Bush was promoted.  Bush promised a more aggressive and attacking defense. David Gibbs, son of coaching legend Alex Gibbs, was brought in from Kansas City to coach the defensive backs.

The Texans gave out the richest free agent contract in team history to secure defensive end Antonio Smith.  The draft provided line backer Brian Cushing and defensive end Connor Barwin as well secondary reinforcements.

Yet, with all the added personnel and change to the coaching staff, the defense remains a work in progress.  True, there are some highlights and there are signs of life.  But far too often, the defense has been out of position and failed to capitalize on opportunities.

Let's start with the defensive ends.  If anyone thinks the Texans erred in drafting Mario Williams over Reggie Bush or Vince Young, they don't know a thing about football. 

Williams is third on the team in tackles with 18 and leads the team with two sacks.  He has a forced fumble and two tackles for a loss.  Super Mario has played well at the point of attack and has been fierce in his pass rush. 

Yet, more is needed.  Williams was shut out against Jacksonville's rookie tackles.  Granted, pressuring the quarterback is not all about sacks.  Hits and even hurrying the quarterback has untold benefits to the defense.  Still, more is needed from the monster that is Mario Williams.  He grades out as a B- with plenty of room for improvement.

On the other side, Antonio Smith has played well at times and poorly at times.  He played like a man possessed against the Oakland Raiders and must carry that intensity and leadership over throughout the season.  He has 10 tackles but zero sacks.  More is expected from the former Arizona Cardinal.  A grade of C seems fair.

Situationally, Connor Barwin out of the University of Cincinnati, has been brought in to make teams pay for doubling Williams.  Barwin has only played end for one season, yet the potential is there.  He has no sacks on the season, but has played well at times. 

Again, giving Barwin a C seems fair.  There is much potential lurking under the surface.  I have high hopes for Barwin.

The defensive tackles have not played very well this season.  Coming into the year, there were high hopes for Amobe Okoye.  He has one sack on the year and has been in on many plays.  Still, more is expected.  Giving Okoye a C is based partially on the high expectations many had for him and his failure to live up to them.

Jeff Zgonina has been a savior for the Texans.  Despite being nearly 40, Zgonina has played well on the year.  He has been stout at the point of attack and has 11 tackles.  He also landed on the Kerry Collins fumble in Nashville that lead to the Texans' first victory.  A grade of B+ is in order.

Shaun Cody was brought in for depth purposes, and has played well in limited action.  Giving him a B seems fair.  On the other hand, Frank Okam has  steadily regressed since his freshman year at Texas.  Despite immense size and good quickness, Okam has yet to register a tackle on the season and has only four in his career. 

If Big Frank can show some improvement, he could be the key to plugging the middle on rushing downs.  Grade: incomplete.

The linebacking crew of Zac Diles, Demeco Ryans and Brian Cushing has been the strongest link in the defense.  Let's start with Diles.  He is tied with Cushing for the most tackles for a loss on the team and is fifth in overall tackles.  He has played very solid football so far this season.  A grade of B is in order.

Moving from the weak side to the middle, Ryans has been simply great.  He is the captain of the defense and is second in tackles.  He has played better than last season, partially due to improved health. 

Ryans is back to being a sideline to sideline player.  Without him, the defense would be in worse shape.  Ryans has earned a B, and I feel he has many good years ahead of him for the Texans.

Moving to the strong side, Cushing has been everything the Texans had hoped for and more when he was drafted out of USC.  Cushing has been physical and intense, and has brought an infectious attitude to the team.   He loves to hit, and it shows on the field.  Cushing leads the team in tackles and in intensity. 

While it's impossible to quantify intangibles, Cushing certainly is already among the team leaders.  Giving him an A is well deserved.  His safety against Oakland was a thing of beauty, as he crashed through the line and threw Justin Fargas to the ground.

The secondary has been up and down.  There has been a lot said about Dunta Robinson and his late arrival to the team.  I won't go into that.

Playing off of receivers and allowing them to make catches underneath has been the norm from not only Robinson, but all the corners.  In order for Bush's defense to live up to the hype, aggressive play must become common in the secondary as well.  Playing up on receivers, jamming at the line, and allowing the blitz another split second to get to the quarterback must happen. 

And the leader of the secondary is Robinson.  He needs to set the tone and do more.  Giving Robinson a C seems almost generous, as more was expected from the former South Carolina standout.

Jacque Reeves has been missed by the team.  He gets an incomplete.  Glove Quinn has been very good in his rookie season.  He is the secondary's leading tackler and is fourth on the team with 17.  Grade: B+.

Antoine Molden has invisible.  Giving him a D seems almost generous.  Fred Bennett has been picked on more than the entire chess club.  Opposing teams target his man and routinely make completion after completion. 

Again, giving Bennett an D is generous.  Brice McCain got burned by Mark Sanchez as he froze in the team's opening game.  Since then, he's played decently.  Grade: C.

Coming to the revolving door that has been the safety positions, I'm almost afraid of what I might illuminate.  It's sad that a player who had not been to camp with the Texans and had been on the team for 10 days before his first game has been far and away the best safety. 

Bernard Pollard, he of Tom Brady fame, has been the best safety on the Texans this year, and perhaps in team history.  Picking him up after he was released by the Chiefs has been a shrewd move for GM Rick Smith.  Pollard deserves an A.

Eugene Wilson fell into an interception against Tennessee.  He's made more noise this year for being the victim of a Brett Favre crack back that anything he's done on the field.  Grade: C, by default.

Dominique Barber has been, in a word, terrible.  Sure, he has 16 tackles, but has allowed running backs to run free against the Texans.  I don't need to remind you of the long runs Thomas Jones, Chris Johnson or Maurice Jones-Drew, do I?  Giving Barber a D is fair, as he is still learning to play NFL defense.  Perhaps he can be more than a special teams player, but he has yet to show he is a starting caliber safety.

John Busing and Nick Ferguson has been equally bad.  If I were to grade them on stealing checks from the organization, they would rank highly.  Based on their play on the field, giving them a D- is generous. 

Turning briefly to special teams, punter Matt Turk has continued to prove his value to the team.  His net average is over 40 yards, a remarkable number.  Turk deserves an A.  Kicker Kris Brown has only missed one of six field goals.  He has also been solid on kickoffs.  Grade: A-.

Jacoby Jones, oh Jacoby Jones.  What can be said of Jones?  He can turn a game with one play.  Sadly, it is just as likely to be a turnover as it is an electric return.  Jones took one to the house against Oakland.  But he has also dropped two punts.  Once he recovered his own bobble and once he was bailed out by the refs in Tennessee. 

I'll give him a C and keep my fingers crossed he can improve.  Andre Davis has one kick return for 34 yards.  He deserved an incomplete.